After months of analysis, on-and-off-the-court drama and blockbuster trades, the 2019 NBA Draft is almost here.

That’s why some of Stadium’s best basketball minds came together to answer the hottest questions surrounding the Association’s marquee event.

Let’s dive right in.

[RELATED: NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Pelicans Load Up on Talent After Trade With Lakers]

1. If Zion Williamson is the consensus top prospect, who is the next best player?

Jeff Goodman, Stadium College Basketball Insider: Ja Morant. He’s got elite quickness and athleticism to go along with terrific court vision. Think of a blend of De’Aaron Fox and Mike Conley. Morant could easily wind up being the best NBA player from this draft.

Chinmay Vaidya, Stadium NBA Writer: Ja Morant, the self-proclaimed “point god” from Murray State. Morant can carry a team with his ability to score and create for others. His outside shooting still needs work, and his defensive chops will be tested against top point guards, but Morant has a bright future in the league.

Andy Wittry, Stadium College Sports Writer: Ja Morant, which seems to be the consensus among draftniks. He put up big numbers all year in the Ohio Valley Conference, and he finally got to show off his game on a national stage during the NCAA Tournament. It’s amazing to think that the players projected to go No. 1 and No. 2 in this year’s draft were briefly teammates at the grassroots level.

Dan Howell, Stadium Digital Content Manager: As a Bulls fan, the NBA Draft Lottery shook me to my core knowing that my team will miss out on Ja Morant. He’s the best point guard in this draft, and I think he’ll challenge Zion Williamson in “re-Draft” articles for years to come.

Michael Bolling, Stadium Social Media Producer: RJ Barrett and Ja Morant are getting the headlines, but I like Jaxson Hayes, the freshman out of Texas. The (almost) 7-footer has great feet and hands and can finish around the rim. At just 19 years old, he can immediately be plugged in to help on defense while he works to develop a consistent jumper.

2. Which lottery prospect will not pan out in the NBA?

JG: I think Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver will be a nice, solid player, but I’m not sure what he does exceptionally well. Maybe he’ll be an Otto Porter-type, which is fine — I just don’t know if he’s good enough to take with the No. 4 pick.

CV: Cam Reddish, the volatile forward from Duke. His numbers from his lone season are disastrous, and it’s not like he didn’t have opportunities to shine. In the five games Williamson missed, Reddish averaged 14.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 32.9 percent from the floor and 28.9 percent from 3-point range. Even with Williamson and Barrett drawing all the attention of opposing defenses, Reddish couldn’t take advantage of matchups. If Reddish can’t develop a shot, he will not live up to his lottery selection.

AW: I’ll go with Tyler Herro, who is slotted at No. 14 to the Boston Celtics in Stadium’s mock draft. Herro’s a good — but streaky — shooter. He shot 35 percent from three as a freshman, but he was prone to cold streaks, like his 3-for-16 showing in four NCAA Tournament games. Throw in a negative wingspan (he’s 6’6″ in shoes with a a 6’3.25″ wingspan) and that could be a real cause for concern defensively. For reference, Indiana’s Romeo Langford, who is slotted one spot later, is also 6’6″ in shoes, but he has a 6’11” wingspan.

DH: I’m going to go with the big guy, Bol Bol. While there will always be a place in the NBA for rim protectors and rebounders, I think the league has little use for the plodding, 7’2″ Bol. And I’m saying that despite him shooting 52.0% from three last year.

MB: Undersized forward Nassir Little is still very raw to me and doesn’t shoot well enough from 3-point range. I could see him battling growing pains at the next level, which he also experienced during his one season at North Carolina.

3. Outside the lottery, which prospect is your sleeper pick?

JG: Romeo Langford. I feel like people are so down on him, but he just knows how to score — and his perimeter shot will improve. He played hurt for much of the season, but I think he can be a 15-points-a-game scorer in the NBA because he knows how to use angles, get to the basket and finish through and around contact.

CV: North Carolina’s Cameron Johnson. He’s got the size of a power forward with the shooting touch of a guard. His defensive skills have improved throughout college, and his physical build can help him guard multiple positions. Johnson was up-and-down as a shooter, but his 3-point percentage stands at 40.5 percent after five collegiate seasons. Johnson might never be a star, but he’ll be an immediate contributor on any NBA team.

AW: I’ll give you two – one who could be an immediate-impact rotation player and another who could be a long-term play – and they happen to be consecutive picks in Stadium’s latest mock draft. North Carolina’s Cameron Johnson seems to have the frame and the game that translates really well to the modern NBA. Whether you want to classify him as a combo forward or a big wing, he should be able to shoot over most defenders, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him carve out a meaningful role on a playoff team in the near future. The other is Georgia’s Nic Claxton, who’s just shy of 7-feet tall in shoes. He’ll need to improve as a shooter, but when you think of basketball’s emphasis on positional versatility, the talented big man fits the bill.

DH: Can you still be a sleeper if you’re selected within the top five? Nevertheless, the team that nabs the versatile Jarrett Culver should be pleased with him, who — with proper coaching and development — could evolve into a force and provide a Donovan Mitchell-esque spark for his team.

MB: Iowa State freshman Talen Horton-Tucker, who will likely be a late first-round selection on Thursday. He’s a tough, well-rounded guard who can defend right away in the NBA thanks to his 7’1” wingspan.

4. Who will be the best player five years from now?

JG: The easy answer is Zion, but I think it really might be Ja — especially on a Memphis team that will hand him the ball and allow him to rack up huge numbers. But it’s hard to go against Zion, because that combo of strength, athleticism and skill will make him a brutal matchup for defenders.

CV: RJ Barrett. Williamson and Morant looked otherworldly in college due to their superior athleticism, but Barrett’s skillset is more likely to survive the competitive jump. His outside shot needs to be more consistent, but the potential is there. His work on the defensive glass is also promising, and his overall defensive body of work should translate well.

AW: As crazy as it might sound, odds are it won’t be Zion. If we look back and go year-by-year for recent drafts, you’d probably say that players like Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 15 in 2013), Kawhi Leonard (No. 15 in 2011) and Stephen Curry (No. 7 in 2009) were the stars of their respective drafts. That being said, I think we’ll eventually say that Ja Morant was 2019’s best player.

DH: It’s tough not to pick Zion here considering that — barring injury — he’ll likely have a Rookie of the Year honor, Slam Dunk title and several All-Star appearances under his belt before he turns 23. The real question is will he even be in New Orleans for the duration of his second contract?

MB: Ja Morant has everything you’d want in a modern NBA point guard. He can shoot, pass, get to the bucket and defend. Add in his mental toughness, and it’d be hard for me to bet on anyone else’s long-term success over him.

5. Which team has the most at stake on draft night?

JG: Atlanta. The Hawks have three picks in the top 20, and if they knock it out of the park, Atlanta could be a legit postseason contender in a few years. Trae Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter give them three talented young guys, now they just need to add a couple more starters.

CV: The Pelicans. Having two top-five selections, including the first overall pick, is great for a rebuilding franchise. It also brings a lot of pressure. New Orleans got a huge haul for Anthony Davis, including a bevy of young players, but high draft picks usually net foundational stars. David Griffin’s rebuild is off to a great start, but he has to nail both picks.

AW: New Orleans, but not because of the No. 1 overall pick or Zion Williamson. This year’s draft seems to have a pretty clear-cut group of the three top prospects. Zion, then Ja, then RJ Barrett. There are recent rumblings regarding Darius Garland challenging Barrett at No. 3, but that might just be pre-draft posturing. So the draft really starts with New Orleans’ No. 4 pick. Do the Pelicans take Garland? Or do they trade down with Atlanta? There’s a lot of potential outcomes for a team that received a major haul by trading Anthony Davis to the Lakers.

DH: After taking Zion at No. 1, the options at the No. 4 spot will be endless for New Orleans. Will they be able to find a scorer with that pick who can fit in with their young core and help make a run at the playoffs in Zion’s first season?

MB: Thanks to the play of their youngsters, the Hawks have become one of the NBA’s most exciting teams to watch. And with two picks in the top 10 of this year’s draft, Atlanta has a rare opportunity to build off last season’s momentum as they try to make a push in the wide-open Eastern Conference.

6. What is your bold prediction for draft night?

JG: My bold prediction? Darius Bazley — who was an intern at New Balance this past year after Rich Paul suggested he skip college — will go 15th to Detroit.

CV: I initially said Mike Conley, Memphis’ star point guard, won’t be moved on draft night here. Technically, that prediction was correct as the Grizzlies traded Conley Wednesday. I’ll say the Celtics package their picks and move up to grab a prospect who slips from early projections.

AW: We’ve already hinted at both of these scenarios, so I don’t know how bold I am, but I predict New Orleans trades the No. 4 pick and Atlanta trades the 8th and 10th picks. They might be part of the same trade or they might be two separate deals, but I think at least three of the top-10 picks change hands before or during draft night.

DH: Nothing exciting will happen after pick No. 10. This is a thin draft and while it’s fun to dream up the next Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler or Manu Ginobili, the drama and “impact” selections will be over once the 10th pick hits.

MB: Cam Reddish slides to Atlanta (if the Hawks don’t trade their picks), and they make the playoffs next season for the first time since 2016-17.